The Wooded Temple
by Kali Gargoyle
Summary: My annual Halloween fic for 2006, it’s Avatar this year. The gang is chased into a forest to escape danger only to run into more, including an old enemy.


The Wooded Temple

An Avatar: The Last Airbender Halloween fanfiction

By Kali Gargoyle

* * *

A/N: I don't own Avatar or any of the characters. Doing a Halloween fic for Avatar was a bit of a challenge, since there is no Halloween in that universe (that we know) but there's spooky stuff to play with none the less. Happy Halloween!

* * *

"Run!"

The four friends fled straight towards the cover of the trees. True, it would give very little protection against their three pursuers, but it was better than staying out in the open like they were.

Toph suddenly skidded to a stop, yelling out, "Aang!"

The Avatar turned and leapt to his friend's side, matching her earthbending stance. Together, they raised their fists and the ground in front of them, creating a wall to hide them. They ran at the static sound they recognized as the buildup to the Princess' lightning attack. The wall would explode and crumble with a single strike, but before it did, Aang and his friends will have disappeared into the forest, buying them some time.

Toph ran straight for Katara and Sokka's hiding place behind a large tree far into the forest. "What are we going to do?" Katara whispered.

"We have to get back to Appa and Momo," Aang told them. "Then we can escape."

"One problem," Toph pointed out. "The Crazy Girls are between us and the fuzzballs."

Sokka had climbed up into the branches of the tree to keep an eye out. "They'll probably follow our trail straight in. If we go deeper into the forest, then circle around, we may just be able to get around them and back to the village."

Katara nodded. "What do you think, Aang? Aang?"

The young airbender was staring off into the trees. Katara touched his shoulder and the boy jumped. "What's wrong, Aang?"

"I don't know, I just have this feeling..."

"Noooo..." Sokka groaned. "I hate it when your Avatar senses get all tingly. It means something bad is going to happen. Usually to me."

A warm breeze blew through the clearing and Aang moved into a defensive stance. "It's just the wind," Toph said. "There's nothing out there."

"Nothing?" Katara asked, turned towards Toph. "Not even animals?"

"No..." Toph said slowly, the realization dawning on her that the woods should be full of animals, but there was nothing but an eerie silence.

Sokka jumped from the tree. "Come on, let's get moving before the dangerous ladies catch up with us."

The dead silence of the woods was shattered by a shrill screech, like an animal in pain. The trees in front of them were shoved aside by some invisible force. Brief patches of light and shadow revealed a large animal shape, but not enough to identify it. Katara opened her waterskin, prepared to attack, and Sokka pulled his boomerang.

"What is it?" Toph yelled over the creature's screams. "I can't feel anything, what's there?"

The only way they could tell the spirit-creature was moving was a slight distortion in the scenery behind it. Aang stepped forward. "Spirit! I'm the Avatar. My friends and I only want to travel through your woods in peace!"

After several seconds of silence, the group started to think that the spirit was going to let them go. "Hey, it worked this time."

Without warning, they were hit with a gust of wind that blew them all out of the clearing. As they got to their feet, they heard the screams getting closer, chasing them down.

"Run!" Sokka yelled, pulling people after him.

"Sokka, wait!" Aang yelled back. "I think we should try and talk to it. It might be upset, like Hei Bai."

"_Great_, because that little adventure was so much _fun_ for me!" Sokka replied over his shoulder.

The trees to their left shattered. The four sped up, practically feeling the monstrous spirit on their heels.

"There!" Katara pointed out a building that appeared between the trees. The group headed straight for it, taking shelter under its roof. They hid behind the walls, catching their breath, listening intently for their pursuer.

Several minutes went by and nothing happened. "I think we're safe in here," Sokka said.

"What was that thing?" Toph asked, a panicked lilt to her voice. "I couldn't feel it, like it wasn't even there."

Aang sat against the wall. "It was some sort of spirit. There's something wrong here. I'm not sure what, but I think it needs our help."

"Oh yeah, it seemed very frightened," Sokka replied sarcastically. "I realize this is all part of your Avatar thing, but you're not much help to anyone if this thing kills you. _We're_ the only ones in danger here. We have to get back to Appa."

Aang looked at the others and by the looks on their faces, Toph and Katara agreed with Sokka. The young Avatar sighed, "All right."

"Good, now that we're all thinking clearly, let's see if there's a back way out of..." Sokka trailed off.

"What's wrong- Oh no!" Katara gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Her eyes went wide, not believing the scene in front of her.

"Um, are those what I think they are?" Toph asked.

Aang stepped forward. "They're people. Or at least, they were." He walked out amongst the corpses, every one of them burnt to a crisp.

"Oh man," Sokka whispered. "There wasn't any trace of the Fire Nation anyway else in the area."

"I don't think this was the Fire Nation," Katara said. "Do you think that spirit could have done it?"

"No," Aang said. "If it could do something like this, it would have killed us already. It was something else." He closed his eyes. "But what? And why?"

The howling winds surrounded the four again, and they all raised their arms to protect their faces from the debris. "So much for being safe!" Sokka yelled over the noise.

"We have to get out of here!" Katara yelled back.

Aang screamed, "Get behind me!" and tried to create a protective bubble around them using airbending. His face twisted with the effort of fighting against the gale. He could feel the force and he knew he wouldn't be able to hold the attack back much longer. "Brace yourselves!"

The tornado force winds cut threw Aang's defense and picked the group right off their feet.

Toph screamed as her feet left the ground, and she reached out, desperately trying to grab on to one of the others. They all tried to resist, but it was useless. Aang tried again to fight against the wind spirit attack, to be stopped be a very solid wall.

* * *

Sharp, piercing pain was probably the very worst thing to first experience when returning to consciousness. At least, it was in Aang's opinion, as he placed his hand on his head to try and stop the throbbing. "Katara?" he called out. "Sokka? Toph?"

"Aang? Over here!"

The Avatar pulled himself to his feet, shuffling off in the direct Toph's fearful voice had drifted from. "Aang, where are you?"

"I'm coming!" Aang braced himself against the wall. He could see that he was in some sort of hallway, lit sparsely by lanterns. It ended in a small room, empty save for a large wooden altar, on top of which sat Toph, who was trying to look like she wasn't scared.

Aang reached up and placed his hand on her arm. "I'm here, Toph."

Toph grabbed on to his arm with an iron grip. "Great, now help me down to the floor."

When Toph's feet once again made contact with the ground, she sighed in relief. Aang smiled. "It wasn't that high."

Toph punched him in the shoulder. "I didn't know that. I tried to reach the floor but I couldn't feel it. For all I knew it was a fifty foot drop! Thanks," she added, almost as an after thought. Then she punched his shoulder again.

"Ow!" Aang rubbed his shoulder. "What was that for?"

"For calling my name last!" She stared to head for the hallway. "And don't you dare tell the others about this."

Aang continued to smile as he followed his earthbending teacher back into the hall to search for their friends.

* * *

"Sokka..."

"Shhh..." Sokka held his hand against his sister's forehead. "Don't move, you're hurt."

So of course, Katara moved, trying to pull herself up. She cried out in pain and slumped back.

"Why don't you ever listen to me?!?" Sokka snapped, exasperated, but obviously worried about his sister.

"So, how bad is it?" Katara asked.

"Not too bad," Sokka admitted. "You're not bleeding, but I think you dislocated your shoulder when you hit that statue. I kinda know how to fix it, but..." he bit his lip.

Even though her eyes were still half-closed, Katara could see her brother's hands shaking. She tried to raise her right arm but was unable to, so she placed her left hand on her brother's knee. "Sokka, it's okay. We have to get out of here and find Aang and Toph." She pulled herself into a sitting position, biting her tongue against the pain.

Sokka took a deep breath, then focused. He pushed up Katara's sleeve, feeling the injury, determining exactly what had shifted. He thought back to the lessons with his father. Injuries like this were common during hunts, and it was necessary to give immediate attention to injuries until they could make it back to the village. But he'd never done it on his own...

"Sokka." Katara looked into her brother's eyes. She could see the concern and worry in his eyes just as easily as he could see the pain in hers. She forced a smile and nodded. "You can do this."

Sokka nodded in return, pulling a serious face. He had to take care of his sister...

Katara gritted her teeth against the sharp pain as Sokka pulled the joint back into place. It was soon replaced by a cool, numb feeling. Using her left hand, she opened her pouch and enveloped her hand with the water. The healing glove glowed slightly as she pressed it against her shoulder, closing her eyes, focusing on the energies of her body, the way they were, and the way they were supposed to be.

The waterbender slumped over in relief, caught by her brother. Using him for support, she got to her feet. Her right arm was still numb and difficult to move. "We need to find the others."

* * *

A small boulder smashed into the temple wall.

"Stop doing that!" Aang snapped.

"I keep hearing things!" Toph snapped back. "It feels like we're being followed."

Aang lifted up the lantern he'd tied to the end of his staff. "There's no one there. There's no where to hide in this hallway, we'd have seen them-"

"_I_ wouldn't even if they were there," Toph snapped, stepping toe-to-toe with the airbender. "All I know is what I hear and feel, and I feel that someone's following us!"

"Okay, okay." Aang placed his hands on Toph's shoulders. "I know. Can you tell who? Maybe it's Sokka and Katara."

Toph turned her head to the side. "I can't tell. These walls," she rapped her knuckles against the nearest one, producing a wooden sound. "I think they're disrupting the vibrations."

Aang ran his hand over the rough texture of the walls. "I think the walls are made from trees. Not only that, but still living trees. Maybe-"

A sharp sound echoed down the hallway, causing both young benders to move into defensive stances. "Don't even try to tell me those weren't footsteps," Toph whispered. "I won't," Aang replied. "Come on, slowly." The two of them crept forward. Ahead of them, a shaft of light cut the hall in two, a flickering pattern, like living fire. Toph pulled on Aang's shirt. "There's someone in there," she hissed. Aang pressed his back against the wall and slowly looked around the edge of the doorway. 

"It's so good to see you again, Avatar."

Aang and Toph stepped fully into the room. A single torch lit up the room, but somehow managed to avoid the speaker's face. However, Aang could clearly see that he wore a Fire Nation uniform. "Your earthbending teacher, I assume."

Something about the voice was familiar. It sent cold shivers down Aang's spine. "Who are you?"

"I'm hurt that you've forgotten me so soon." The speaker stood, the light reflecting off the metal details of his boots. "I thought I'd made quite the impression." The rest of the figure moved forward until his face was revealed.

* * *

The halls of the temple seemed to go on forever. Katara kept her eye out for any sign that they had perhaps taken a wrong turn, or were even going in circles.

"How could be have been blown so far away from the others?" Sokka asked. "This temple shouldn't be this big! It didn't look this big from the outside, right?"

Katara glanced back at her brother. "We could be underground. Or maybe we just didn't get a good enough look, we were kinda running for our lives."

Sokka pursed his lips, as if he wanted to say something, but held back. Katara realized that he must be very worried. He was trying to be so brave and take charge. This was certainly better than when he was randomly shouting out orders, trying to simply _act_ like he was in charge. She smiled and was about to tell him so when they heard something up ahead. "What's that?"

They stared down the hall, the lantern Sokka carried held high over their heads. The sound got louder and closer, dozens of tiny clicks and squeaks, along with a static hum.

Katara screamed as a dark cloud flew over their heads. She felt several small impacts to her head and she ducked lower.

The buzz slowly quieted and Katara raised her head. Sokka had thrown himself over his sister to protect her. "They're gone now, whatever they were."

Katara let out a sigh of relief, then got back to her feet. "Good, we have to keep- Sokka, are you bleeding?"

The Water Tribe warrior stood, turning away to hide his injury. "No, of course not, we have to keep moving."

Katara reached out and grabbed the back of her brother's shirt. "Wait a second, let me see."

"I'm fine, it's nothing," Sokka told her.

"You are so stubborn!" Katara stood her ground. "I'm not moving until we take care of that!"

Sokka turned around and matched his sister, glare for glare. "I wish you'd give up this macho act," Katara continued.

"You have to save your strength," Sokka ordered. "I'll get you out of here. I promise."

Katara blinked, taken aback but her brother's determination to carry on and protect her despite his injury. "Sokka, I know you feel you have to protect me, and you've done a great job of that. But we're family, and that means we have to depend on _each other_. I want to protect you, too."

Sokka stared at his sister. "I'm sorry."

Katara gave him a small hug, the best she could do. "I'll stop the bleeding, then we can really get out of here."

* * *

Aang stood frozen. "Zhao."

The Admiral smirked. "I'm glad you remember me, Avatar." As he came closer, the Avatar could see the drastic changes his old enemy had undergone. His skin had a blue tint to it, with sunken cheekbones and heavy, dark circles under his eyes. "And once I defeat you, I will _never_ be forgotten."

Zhao yelled as he shot twin fire blasts at the pair, scattering them. Aang deflected the attacks with air blasts, then hit the Admiral with a blast that sent him flying across the room and into a wall. "I didn't think you survived the North Pole," the Avatar said, pointing his staff at the firebender.

Zhao got to his feet. "Actually, I didn't. I was dragged to my death by the Ocean Spirit and found myself trapped in the Spirit World." The Admiral smirked. "But I found a way back, and used that WindFox to get you here, so I can have my revenge." Another fireball was aimed at Aang, who blocked with a stone wall he pulled up from the floor.

Zhao was so focused on Aang, he didn't notice Toph getting into position. She slid the ground out from under his feet, knocking him to the ground. From his knees, Zhao surrounded himself with a dome of flames and pushed it outward.

Both benders brought up stone barriers to protect themselves.

Zhao got back to his feet. "Foolish children. You can't possibly beat me. What can you really do, _kill_ me?"

"He has a point," Toph said, running to Aang's side to regroup. "What are we going to do?"

Aang deflected another fireball, stumbling back. Zhao laughed. "Surrender Avatar!"

"Keep him busy!" Aang yelled at Toph. He needed time to come up with a plan. As he was deep in thought, something brushed against his legs and he looked down. At his feet sat a small, fox-like creature, small whirlwinds appearing as it moved its tail. The young Avatar knelt down beside the animal. "You're the WindFox, aren't you?"

The spirit creature looked up at him with sad eyes. "You're the one, I heard you calling for help, even when you were attacking us," Aang said. "He used you. Can you help us defeat him?"

The little animal rubbed its head against Aang's hand, then scampered off towards the battle.

Zhao laughed as he dodged another of Toph's attacks. "A little blind girl? That's the best The Avatar could find?"

"I've knocked the attitude out of tougher guys than you," The Blind Bandit smirked.

A barrage of fire was sent in Toph's direction, stopped by an earth shield. Toph slammed her hands against the ground and surrounded the Admiral with stone bars.

Zhao pulled his arm back and punched right through the bar in front of him. "I think you'll find me unlike any other 'tough guy' you've gone up against, little girl."

As Zhao pulled his arm back for another punch, a stream of water snaked around his wrist and held him in place. Katara stood in the doorway. "Oh, I don't know, you seem like the same old washout I remember."

"Katara!" Aang cried out. "Sokka! Are you guys okay?"

Sokka pulled his machete, standing on his sister's right, guarding her injured side. "A little worse for wear, and ready to get out of here as soon as possible."

Zhao broke Katara's hold on him. As he stepped from the cage, prepared to finish off the teens, the WindFox latched onto his hand. Zhao screamed and tried to fling the pest away, but it remained stubbornly fastened to his limb.

Aang turned to his friends, taking in their obvious injuries. "Toph, led them out of here."

"But-"

"I'll deal with Zhao. Go!"

The earthbender nodded. Sokka glared at Aang. "We can help!"

"I know, but I need you to get everyone to safety!" Sokka looked ready to argue, but followed after Toph and Katara, watching their backs to make sure there wasn't anything else that was going to jump out at them. Aang turned to face the Admiral. "I can't let you leave, Zhao."

"You can't stop me." Zhao finally pulled the WindFox from his hand and threw the beast aside. His flesh was hanging from the bone, but no blood dripped from the injured limb. He held it up to give the Avatar a better look. "See? Not even death can separate me from my destiny. After I get my revenge on you and regain my place in the Fire Nation, I'm going to get that failure of a prince. Victory will be mine!"

Aang struck the ground with his staff. "No, I can't let you." The temple chamber filled with wind, throwing around sacred artifacts, bones, and dust.

Zhao raised his hand to guard his face. "Is that the best you can do?" He tried to shoot fire only to have it deflected by the winds. With a snarl, he threw himself at the boy.

Aang leapt back, dragging his staff along the ground, opening a chasm in the floor beneath them. Unable to change his course in mid-flight, Zhao fell into the hole, just barely catching the edge with his uninjured hand.

The Avatar looked down at his enemy. Zhao looked back up. "I've learned a lot since I saw you last," Aang finally said. "I've learned a lot about my duty as The Avatar and that I have to put the good of the world before my own wants, and even needs. And sometimes, for the good of the world..." The airbender's staff hit the ground again and the dirt beneath Zhao's fingers eroded away and fell, along with the Admiral, into the pit.

Aang watched him fall. He never heard him hit bottom, but as soon as Zhao was out of sight, Aang brought his fists and the walls of the fissure together until there was no sign that the floor had ever been disturbed.

* * *

"Aang!"

Katara ran to greet the airbender as he exited the temple. "Are you all right?"

Aang just looked at her for several seconds, a lost look in his eyes. He finally smiled, a small, sad smile. "Yeah. We better get going."

Thunder crashed down on their heads, shattering the peaceful silence of the forest, causing the four to jump. The tiny WindFox shot out from between Aang's feet, transforming in midjump into the transparent monster that had chased them to this temple. Several seconds later, cries and the sounds of fire blasts could be heard echoing through the woods.

Aang's smile got wider. "I think that's his way of thanking us for saving him from Zhao."

"We better hurry," Sokka said. "Before anything else happens."

Sokka, Toph, and Katara started walking, but Aang stayed behind, staring at the temple. Katara's hand came to rest on his shoulder. "Aang, are you really okay?"

Aang lowered his head. "Yeah." He looked off in the direction the WindFox had gone off in. "Thanks, friend."

He turned and followed the others out of the forest.


End file.
